A-6E Intruder History

A-6E buno
155595 was built by Grumman Aircraft Corporation, Bethpage,
New York, on 31May68 as an A-6A.

595 went to VA-128 the 'Golden Intruders' from June 1, 1968 to December 31, 1970 to
train A-6 flight crews.

595 was then
transferred to her first combat squadron VA-165 the
'Boomers'. The Boomers departed for Vietnam on board the USS
Constellation CVA-64 on Ol Oct 71 to 30 Jun 72.

She then went
TAD to VA-115 the 'Arabs' subsequently 'Eagles' from Jun 72
to Jul 72.

She then
returned to the Golden Intruders for training of A-6 flight
crews and maintenance at NARF Alameda on Aug 72 to Sep 73.

595
transferred to VA-196 the 'Main Battery' in Oct 73. VA-196
went on a WestPac + 10 cruise on 17 Sep 74 to 20 May 75
onboard the USS Enterprise CVAN-65.

When VA-196
returned home, 595 was sent back to Bethpage to be modified
into an A-6E. The Navy acceptance flight was flown on 25 May
76 and 595 returned to the fleet.

Her next unit
was her first combat unit, VA-165 for a WestPac on 12 Apr 77
to 21 Nov 77 onboard the Connie.

The year of
1978 was a quiet one for 595 as she was assigned to VA-145
the 'Swordsmen' from Feb 78 to Dec 78. VA-145 did not deploy
during this time.

However the
quiet would soon be over, as 595 was transferred on Nov 78
to VA-52 the 'Knightriders' which deployed onboard the USS
Kitty Hawk CV-63 on 30 May 79 to 25 Feb 80 for a WestPac +
10. VA-52 then left again onboard Kitty Hawk on Ol Apr 81 to
23 Nov 81 for another WestPac + 10.

In Sept 1982,
595 left her longest owners, VA-52 and was sent back to
Bethpage to be modified once again, to an A-6E TRAM.

In Nov 84, 595
went TAD to VA-65 the 'Tigers' for one month and a total of
10.8 flight hours.

595 then went
into storage on Feb 85 and was inducted on 04 Apr 86 into
special rework to be rewinged under GAC Contract
#NOOO19-85-0499 by DCAS/GSAC.

On 30 Sep 86,
595's rewing was completed and she returned to the fleet
once again with her original combat squadron VA-165 the
'Boomers' on 16 Oct 86. The Boomers deployed on 03 Jan 87 to
29 Jun 87 onboard the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63 for a World
Cruise.

It was moving
time again for 595. However this time it was back to old
friends with VA-52 in Feb of 1989. The Knightriders packed
up for deployment onboard the USS Carl Vinson CVN70 on O5
Sep 89 to 09 Nov 89 for a NorPac. Then home for two months
and back out on the Vinson for a WestPac + 10 on Ol Feb 90
to 31 Jul 90.

155595 was now
twenty-two years old and her country was about to call her
back to battle. In 21 Aug 90, 595 transferred to VA-155 the
'Silver Foxes', and soon would be doing what she was
designed to do. VA-155 deployed onboard the USS Ranger CV-61
Air Wing CVW-2 for a WestPac + 10 + Persian Gulf on 08 Dec
90 to 08 Jun 91.

This
deployment would see 155595 drop weapons in anger for the
first time since 1972. When the dust settled in the Iraqi
desert, 595 had destroyed 56 tanks and two Iraqi gunboats,
earning the nickname "War Eagle" from her crews.
VA-155 flew 635 sorties and dropped 2,289,940 pounds of
ordnance on Iraqi targets.

Unfortunately
VA-155 would lose one Intruder to AAA attack. LT. Tom
"TC" Costen and LT. Charlie "Tuna"
Turner flying as Dash 2 in a four ship formation were hit by
AAA as they pulled off target after mining the UHM Qasr Port
in Iraq. Two boats later sank in the minefield.
All eight Intruder crews received the Distinguished Flying
Cross. LT. Costen and LT. Turner also received the
Purple Heart, Posthumous. Intruder 155595 was the
"Strike Lead" on this fateful night.

155595 would
go on to make one last cruise with VA-155 onboard Ranger on
0l Aug 92 to 31 Jan 93 for operation Southern Watch/Provide
Relief.

155595
returned to NAS Alameda on 13 Apr 93 for SDLM Induction. On
10 Feb 94, 155595 was stricken from the Navy inventory.

Last Log Book Entry

24 Jun 94
Effective this date, aircraft BUNO 155595 is authorized a
one time flight to Sonoma County Museum for induction into
National Museum of Naval Aviation Organization. REF: CNO
Washington DC DTG 251342Z May 94. NAVAVNDEPOT ALAMEDA.